Operation Scars Keloids

Hi

Has anyone else had or is having trouble with their scars?

I'm just over six months after surgery.

My five little wounds are okay, though very dark red. The big scar above my navel however is going a bit keloid: it's starting to look like I've got a dark red worm on my belly.

I'm massaging a prescription silicon gel on it, but it still stings or itches most of the time, and the muscles about an inch inside me to the left and right of the scar also ache a lot.

(I am clearly someone that this can happen to. A small scar on my chest left by the removal of a mole a year ago still stings and itches and has gone lumpy despite having originally being almost invisible after being done by a plastic surgeon, a scar on my back from another mole removal took over 18 months to stop stinging.)

Any tips, comments, observations or experiences?

Alfred

ALF My vertical incision is exactly as you described.   When I was a young kid we had something called a creepy crawler bug maker set.   There was one particular worm that we made and used for fish bait.   Every time that I get out of the shower and admire what looks like the perfect steroid sculptured body, (yes I have a magic mirror) I see that purple creepy crawler!!!

My radiation oncologist said, in a general converstation, that they sometimes use a single zap of radiation to ease troubles with pesky scar issues, and she said it is really effective.

Hmmmm....anyone try Vitamin E oil. Worked for me. Scars are nearly invisible now.

HI Alfred, this is John ( CA) - Yes I have same problem like you - the inside muscles about 1 inch on each side of the middle scar keep bugging me. I have requested a lot of tests, Xray, ct scan, MRI, Instense stool test, blood test, urine test, ultrasound all normal. Good news  but I still feel uncomfortable and make me tired every day - difficult to exercise.  Davinci on 12/18/09

 

1218davici John

 

English Alf said...
Hi

Has anyone else had or is having trouble with their scars?

I'm just over six months after surgery.

My five little wounds are okay, though very dark red. The big scar above my navel however is going a bit keloid: it's starting to look like I've got a dark red worm on my belly.

I'm massaging a prescription silicon gel on it, but it still stings or itches most of the time, and the muscles about an inch inside me to the left and right of the scar also ache a lot.

(I am clearly someone that this can happen to. A small scar on my chest left by the removal of a mole a year ago still stings and itches and has gone lumpy despite having originally being almost invisible after being done by a plastic surgeon, a scar on my back from another mole removal took over 18 months to stop stinging.)

Any tips, comments, observations or experiences?

Alfred

Unfortunately, I also form Keloids and if you know you form them, you can let the surgeons know ahead of time and they can make the stitches tighter or closer together so that you don't form them as bad. I also had a dermatologist give me a shot of something ( I can't remember what it was, it has been awhile) because I had one that was big and itchy and the shot drastically reduced the size and stopped the itching. Call your dermatologist...I'm sure they will be able to help you out. They just do a quick injection. Good luck!

Jerry & DD

I've got an appointment with my dermatologist in June so I can mention these ideas to her. The itching is a little better than it was, perhaps thanks to the silicone gel

I'm not sure about tight stitches having an effect though for as I said the scar from removing a mole went funny and that was stitched with extreme precision. It had been invisible for about a month and then went keloid very quickly.
I also don't see why I don't get keloids on my hands, arms, legs and feet, and in fact the lowest two da Vinci scars near my hip bones are already almost white and invisible.

I have seen someone at the hospital since I started this thread and they checked out my abdomen around the scar and found no medical problem. The thought is that the muscles and tissues inside me were pushed about a lot during the op and will take a long time to recover. (And having seen another video of the op recently I am surprised my insides did not hurt even more afterwards)
It still aches though and perhaps the thing about this ache that annoys me most is that it hurts to hug or cuddle anyone especially if they have a button or buckle that lines up with the scar. I can luckily hug and cuddle my wife from other directions or do it without the buttons and clothes in the way, but I'd like to be able to hug a few other people who are close to me too without wincing.

And added complication is that with RT about to start I've now been told that I have to stop using any creams on my lower abdomen, but they are going to measure things to see if the biggest scar is inside or outside the area concerned.

Alf

Post Edited (English Alf) : 4/16/2010 1:29:37 AM (GMT-6)

My dermatologist informed me that they are worse in "fatty" areas. Not implying you are fat by any means , but I believe areas like breast tissue, butt, stomach etc are more likely to scar than those in less fatty areas like hands, arms, feet etc. Let me know what you find out! I am definitely interested to hear!

I underwent surgery using the da Vinci method in September 2008. The only scar which has not completely disappeared from sight is the one above my navel.

I thought I heard a bluebird singing... What a wonderful sound!

Hi Alf,

I also had some pretty ugly Keloids after my surgery. I used this stuff called Mediscar that the Dr recommended. It worked pretty good, all that is visable now is the drain scar on my left side. My Keloids were pretty bad, but I only used it for a few months and am very happy with the results

Here is the Mediscar website, but I bought my tubes off their Ebay Mediscar account. I just looked and they sell for $10.00 less a tube on Ebay, wish I saw that sooner, oh well


www.mediscar.com/